it," I declared. "To-morrow I'll seek Mistress Gwyn. You
shall send Robert to take her pleasure as to the hour when I shall wait
on her."

"She's in a fury with the King, as he with her."

"On what account?"

"Already, friend Simon, you're too wise."

"By Heaven, I know! It's because Mlle. de Querouaille is so good a
Catholic?"

Darrell had no denial ready. He shrugged his shoulders and sat silent.

Now although I had told Barbara that it was my intention to ask an
audience from the King, I had not disclosed my purpose of seeing
Mistress Nell. Yet it was firm in my mind--for courtesy's sake. Of a
truth she had done me great service. Was I to take it as though it were
my right, with never a word of thanks? Curiosity also drew me, and that
attraction which she never lost for me, nor, as I believe, for any man
whose path she crossed. I was sure of myself, and did not fear to go.
Yet memory was not dead in me, and I went in a species of excitement,
the ghost of old feelings dead but not forgotten. When a man has loved,
and sees her whom he loves no more, he will not be indifferent; angry he
may be, or scornful, amused he may be, and he should be tender; but it
will not be as though he had not loved. Yet I had put a terrible affront
on her, and it might be that she would not receive me.

As I live, I believe that but for one thing she would not. That turned
her, by its appeal to her humour. When I came to the house in Chelsea, I
was conducted into a small ante-chamber, and there waited long. There
were voices speaking in the next room, but I could not hear their
speech. Yet I knew Nell's voice; it had for me always--ay, still--echoes
of the past. But now there was something which barred its way to my
heart.

The door in front of me opened, and she was in the room with me. There
she was, curtseying low in mock obeisance and smiling whimsically.

"A bold man!" she cried. "What brings you here? Art not afraid?"

"Afraid that I am not welcome, yet not afraid to come."

"A taunt wrapped in civility! I do not love it."

"Mistress Nell, I came to thank you for the greatest kindness----"

"If it be kindness to help you to a fool!" said Mistress Nell. "What,
besides your thanks to me, brings you to town?"

I must forgive her the style in which she spoke of Barbara. I answered
with a smile:

"I must see the King. I don't know his purposes about me. Besides, I
desire that he should help me to my--fool."

"If you're